Grilled Smoked Turkey Burger with Onions, Blue Cheese and a Portabella Mushroom

For the past few years I have been developing what I believe to be a nice balance of seasonings for ground turkey to make a flavorful burger. Whereas a ground beef burger requires little in way of seasoning except salt and black pepper to bring out the natural flavors of the meat and melted fat, ground turkey meat is bland in flavor and leaner then most ground beef options.

Originally, I used to make these turkey burgers, serving them on toasted English muffins with melted cheese and topped with my favorite fixings. Then one evening a few months back when I was experimenting with Portabella Mushrooms, I thought why not combine a Portabella Mushroom and Broiled Blue Cheese with a grilled turkey burger and then top the burger with sauteed onions? To my surprise is was a very flavorful experiment that even now makes my mouth water with anticipation to the next time I make this dish.

The recipe below is for the grilled smoked turkey burgers. It is recommended to try it with the Portabella Mushroom and Broiled Blue Cheese, but enjoying the burger by itself, on a burger bun or an English muffin is just as good.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 LBS  of Ground Turkey (your preference on the lean to fat ratio)
• 1/2 TBSP of Minced (Dried) Onion
• 1/2 TSP of Kosher Salt or Table Salt
• 1/2 TSP of Black Pepper (I prefer to use fresh ground Black Pepper)
• 1 TBSP of Worcestershire Sauce
• 1/2 TBSP of Liquid Smoke (this is the secret ingredient that brings it all together)

Directions:

1. At least an hour before cooking, thoroughly mix all of the ingredients
2. Chill the mixture in the refrigerator for an hour or more. You can prepare the ingredients in the morning and then cook the burgers in the evening for dinner.
3. Depending on the size of the hamburger bun, muffin or mushroom, form your patties to be just a little larger for they will shrink during cooking. For large Portabella Mushrooms, one and a half pounds of ground turkey will make four turkey patties.
4. Cook in a skillet or on the grill for 10 – 12 minutes on Medium High. You will want to flip them regularly.

Directions if preparing these turkey burgers to be used with Portabella Mushroom and Broiled Blue Cheese.

1. 35 minutes before you are ready to eat, drizzle olive oil in a skillet, add salt and when the oil is hot, add one large yellow / white onion that has been sliced.
2. Reduce the heat to Medium and allow the onions to saute, stirring frequently.
3. 30 minutes prior to eating, follow the instructions to prepare Portabella Mushroom and Broiled Blue Cheese.
4. 15 minutes prior to eating, begin to preheat the skillet to cook the turkey burgers or have the grill hot and ready.
5. The sauteed onions should be ready about 5 -10 minutes prior to the turkey burgers being cooked. Turn off the heat and cover.
6. Once the turkey burgers are cooked, place them on top of the broiled Portabella Mushroom & Blue Cheese and top the turkey burger with the sauteed onions.